Program on the Environment

Assisted population migration (APM) is gaining attention as a climate adaptation strategy for forests. In Washington state, this commonly involves harvesting seed from warmer portions of a tree species’ range and growing and installing seedlings further northward or at higher elevations. However, no single source synthesizes the current scope of projects or local seedling stock availability in Washington state. The aim of this study was to get a clearer understanding of what APM projects exist within Washington state and reveal how many nurseries are providing APM seedling stock. Three forms of evidence were collected in two distinct ways. During my internship with Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center, I began seedling research trials with two populations of western redcedar. Independently, I sent out a survey to every native plant nursery in Washington and conducted a limited literature review of all APM projects which contain publicly available information online. Results indicate that most nurseries in Washington state are not aware of APM or do not provide APM stock, though a small subset do. There are 9 APM research projects being undertaken in Washington, with all projects focusing on timber species such as Douglas fir or western redcedar. This indicates that discussion and publicity surrounding APM must accelerate to garner attention from practitioners so that they may be prepared to meet the high seedling demands projected under future climate-driven reforestation efforts. Projects that are already underway could be a means of outreach, discussion, and information sharing among practitioners.